Specimen Of Yellow Fungus For Dye Or Paint Item Number: E89149-0 from the National Museum of Natural History
Notes
From card: ""specimen of fungus used for painting the face. This fungus grows on hemlock trees and in [is] prepared by roasting it in hot ashes. presented by Ellswash [Ellswarsh], a Skidegate chief." Swan"A tag in James Swan's hand is with the artifact: "Indian Red Paint. Queen Charlotte Islands BC. Sept 1883. No 156 Haida Indians Queen Charlotte Islands BC. Paint, made by roasting the fungus of the Hemlock and ground with water on a stone when used. Koona village BC Sep 1883 J.G. Swan."Per the entry on E89186 in the website http://alaska.si.edu/, Ellswash/Ellswarsh may refer to Daniel Eldjiwus [a.k.a. Daniel Elljuuwas], a chief and builder of the House of Contentment at Skidegate.There is conflicting provenance information for this artifact. The list in the accession file appears to identify it as from Skidegate, October 1883. However, the Swan original tag identifies it as from Koona (Skedans), September 1883.
Item History
- Made
- Collected by James G. Swan
- Received on December 21, 1883
What
- Name
- Specimen Of Yellow Fungus For Dye Or Paint
- Identification Number
- E89149-0
- Type of Item
- botanical
Who
- Culture
- Haida
- Field Collector
- James G. Swan
Where
- Holding Institution
- National Museum of Natural History
- Made in
- “Canada: British Columbia: Skidegate (not certain) / Skedans (Koona) (not certain)” ?
- Collected in
- “Canada: British Columbia: Skidegate (not certain) / Skedans (Koona) (not certain)” ?
When
- Collection Date
- “Sep 1883 to Oct 1883” ?
- Acquisition Date
- on December 21, 1883
Other
- Accession Number
- 013804